Iconic Changes in Sin City

Bellagio started an evolution of luxury and sophistication 15 years ago this month

The Bellagio Resort and Casino, with its recognizable fountains, has become one of the most famous icons of the new Vegas.

Photograph by: Monica Zurowski
, Calgary Herald

LAS VEGAS — The icons of Las Vegas have always been easily recognizable, in terms of both the people and places that symbolize the city.

It’s easy to envision towering neon signs in every colour of the rainbow; to picture Elvis Presley swathed in studded jumpsuits; or, to conjure up a scene of sequined showgirls decked out in feathers, bangles and towering head dresses.

But while the historical icons of Vegas were often brash and glitzy, the new icons of Sin City have become sophisticated and ritzy.

Where visitors once dined on the ubiquitous 99-cent shrimp cocktail (usually prepared by an anonymous cook), today it’s common to find diners enjoying a $99 meal created by a celebrity chef who is a household name.

Vegas has come a long way, baby, and over the past few years, the result has been myriad new icons sprouting up along Las Vegas Boulevard — or the Strip — in the form of volcanoes, pyramids, castles, canals, statues and towers.

Nothing, however, has become more iconic of the new Vegas than the Bellagio hotel and resort, which has been key in the city’s evolution from brassy to classy and which celebrated its 15th birthday this week.

Bellagio was built on the site of the former Dunes hotel, a 1955 structure that grew to become the biggest and best property in town by the 1960s.

Over the years, performances at the Dunes featured Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Liberace, the first Elvis impersonator on the Strip and the first topless review.

Rumour was that the Dunes was controlled by mob money, but that era ended when Vegas hotel guru Steve Wynn bought the property, imploded the hotel and began construction on a resort modelled after the Lake Como town of Bellagio, Italy.

On Oct. 15, 1998, the $1.6-billion Bellagio opened its doors — then the most expensive hotel in the world. A swanky invitation-only affair saw VIPs pay a minimum $1,000 per person to attend the opening and usher in a new era, becoming the “quintessential upscale Vegas choice,” reported USA Today.

“It really changed the way the world thought about Vegas,” says tour operator Mandy Sullivan. “Bellagio was glamorous; it became the No. 1 talked-about destination that year.”

The Mirage Hotel had opened nine years earlier, starting the Vegas trend of hotels eschewing the once-famous neon glare for sophisticated flair; but, it was Bellagio that introduced a new level of refinement and opulence to the Strip.

“What Bellagio is all about is luxury,” explains the resort’s president and chief operating officer Randy Morton. “It’s about exceeding guests’ expectations from the minute they arrive until the minute they leave.”

Guests are welcomed by the now world-famous Fountains of Bellagio, which have become a symbolic image used by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and as a common background in dozens of TV shows and movies, including Ocean’s Eleven, What Happens in Vegas and The Hangover.

Choreographed to music from artists such as Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Andrea Bocelli and David Foster, the 1,200 fountains erupt, sway and dance in a mesmerizing display several times every day and night.

It’s no surprise that the fountains remain the most popular free attraction in Vegas, with 15,000 people lining the street daily to take in a show. An Internet photo search for Bellagio fountains also demonstrates the feature’s overwhelmingly popularity, with visitors from around the globe posting photos of the water spectacle, leading to millions of web impressions.

“They (the fountains) provide the iconic welcome when you arrive,” says Morton, “and also provide a . . . suitable farewell, when you depart.”

It isn’t just the fountains, however, that have helped propel Bellagio to become a Vegas icon in just 15 short years. The resort is home to many unique amenities, including a lush conservatory, botanical gardens and a gallery of fine art, which has featured works by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol and many other artists.

Bellagio is also credited with kick-starting the celebrity chef movement in the city, demonstrated by its Circo and Le Cirque restaurants by Sirio Maccioni, Olives by Todd English, Prime Steakhouse by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Julian Serrano’s Picasso (where artwork by the famous artist hangs on the walls) and Michael Mina’s namesake restaurant.

A visit to Michael Mina shows how Bellagio sets the bar high, when it comes to fine dining.

No detail is too small and no effort too large when it comes to providing a first-rate experience.

The same holds true for Bellagio’s resident Cirque du Soleil show — “O” — featuring 85 acrobats, synchronized swimmers, divers and other artists who perform above, in and on top of a 5.6-million-litre pool that “magically” changes depth throughout the show.

The mesmerizing show — still one of Cirque’s best — has grossed more than $1 billion since Bellagio opened and become a quintessential symbol of how Vegas entertainment has evolved, much in the same way that Bellagio reflects the overall shift to sophistication in the city.

Maintaining iconic status, however, takes significant work.

An army of 8,200 employees move about Bellagio with elegant precision to ensure every pillow is fluffed and every piece of crystal sparkling.

The results of an employee training program, aimed at taking service five steps beyond excellence, can be seen at every turn. Staff members are asked to greet all visitors, use their names whenever possible, smile, and acknowledge them with sincerity, says Morton.

“That,” he says, “is the secret sauce of Bellagio.”

It’s a “sauce” that’s proven incredibly appealing.

Occupancy rates range from 95 to 100 per cent; the hotel attracts almost twice as many international guests as other properties; and, it’s received the AAA Five Diamond Award (the top hotel and restaurant award) 11 times. Fitting, it seems, for an icon.

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